Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Tan.
Hi Katrina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started teaching Pilates in 2013. Prior to teaching Pilates, I worked behind a desk as a supply chain analyst and would use Pilates to help me unwind from 40 hours of sitting and slouching. I realized that I loved doing Pilates more than my actual job and decided to make a major life change of becoming a Pilates teacher.
I have an analytical and reflexive teaching style. That means I’ll find the words and coaching that resonate with YOU and your body just as you are today. I believe that feeling your body is just as important as moving your body–so we’ll focus together on how best to help you do that. I teach more than exercise, I give you the space, permission, support, and knowledge to feel your body move in the way that it was meant to.
In 2020, I graduated from The Heritage Training: A Post-Graduate Training for Pilates Professionals with Cara Reeser. This is extensive training in first-generation teacher Kathy Grant’s work in the Pilates Method. This work is very influential in the way I teach and how I view Pilates as a movement practice. In 2016, I became a specialist in Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates and Diastasis Recti Recovery from the Women’s Center for Fitness.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Getting the guts to teach a group of people was very challenging for me in the beginning of my career. My love of helping students discover the joy of moving their bodies in a more intelligent and intuitive way helped me find my voice as a teacher. Learning from other teachers in the Pilates community was also immensely helpful.
There have been many pivots to my business in the last five years – launching Pilates with Katrina after the birth of my daughter, then shifting to working for another studio (putting my business on hold), and then teaching myself how to work exclusively on zoom during the pandemic. After the studio I worked for closed because of the pandemic, I realized that I had what it takes to re-launch my business. Last year, I found a home in Circle C with a space for a Pilates studio and Pilates with Katrina was reborn. Getting my physical studio space ready was a year-long project that was a lot of hard work. I’m thrilled to be able to share my lovely space with my South Austin students.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I teach Pilates to help women 40-ish and beyond, get out of their heads and into their bodies. I teach more than exercise, I give you the space, permission, support, and knowledge to feel your body move in the way that it was meant to. At a certain age, fitness is NO LONGER ABOUT shrinking our bodies (I’d rather be stronger, not smaller), or relentless push-ups, sit-ups, or boot camps (which may not serve you in the same way they did a couple of decades ago.) Today, your body requires dialog and nuance in their movement. To build functional strength that begins deep within you and radiates out from your center.
Your body also requires movement that makes you FEEL good (energized, strong, capable, resilient, happy, and accomplished) first. Only then can you find your authentic confidence in your favorite clothes and adventures for your body and soul.
My home Pilates studio is perfect for someone who is looking for personalized attention in a warm, inviting and intimate atmosphere.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I recommend reading:
– Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly, learning how to be vulnerable and see it as a strength has been a game-changer in the way I teach and run my business.
– Amelia and Emily Nagoski’s Burn Out: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle is an excellent read if you are not great at taking care of yourself.
– Connie Sobczak’s Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body is a great resource if you are tired of trying to change your body to fit the standards of the bikini industrial complex.
Contact Info:
- Website: pilateswithkatrina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilateswithkatrina
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pilateswithkatrinatan
Image Credits
Kelly Power Photography
